Project description:In a human cell line centromeric protein CENP-A was removed and then re-expressed. Possible subsequent changes in CENP-A localization were investigated with CUT&RUN-seq.
Project description:We employ the well-studied fission yeast centromere to investigate the function of the CENP-A (Cnp1) N-tail. We show that alteration of the N-tail did not affect Cnp1 loading at centromeres, outer kinetochore formation, or spindle checkpoint signaling, but nevertheless elevated chromosome loss. N-Tail mutants exhibited synthetic lethality with an altered centromeric DNA sequence, with rare survivors harboring chromosomal fusions in which the altered centromere was epigenetically inactivated. Elevated centromere inactivation was also observed for N-tail mutants with unaltered centromeric DNA sequences. N-tail mutants specifically reduced localization of the CCAN proteins Cnp20/CENP-T and Mis6/CENP-I, but not Cnp3/CENP-C. Overexpression of Cnp20/CENP-T suppressed defects in an N-tail mutant, suggesting a causal link between reduced CENP-T recruitment and the observed centromere inactivation phenotype. Thus, the Cnp1 N-tail promotes epigenetic stability of centromeres via recruitment of the CENP-T branch of the CCAN. Genome-wide localization of GFP-tagged N-tail Cnp1 variant tailswap versus wt control in cnp1 deletion background
Project description:Epigenetic mechanisms are thought to specify the identity of centromeres, yet the degree to which DNA sequence contributes to centromere determination remains unresolved. For example, the conserved CENP-B protein binds the 17-bp âCENP-B boxâ motif found in α-satellite arrays at most human centromeres. Although CENP-B is required for artificial centromere function, it is non-essential and some species lack CENP-B boxes entirely. To address this âCENP-B paradox,â we determined the distribution of CENP-B boxes in primates and directly demonstrated the absence of CENP-B at Old World Monkey centromeres. We found extensive interspecific variation in α-satellite arrays including abundance of <10-bp dyad symmetries and of non-B-form DNA structures. We confirmed the presence of non-canonical DNA at human centromeres and neocentromeres and detected similar structures at mouse, chicken and yeast centromeres. To resolve the CENP-B paradox, we propose that CENP-B enhances non-canonical DNA formation, thus providing a general basis for centromere specification.
Project description:We employ the well-studied fission yeast centromere to investigate the function of the CENP-A (Cnp1) N-tail. We show that alteration of the N-tail did not affect Cnp1 loading at centromeres, outer kinetochore formation, or spindle checkpoint signaling, but nevertheless elevated chromosome loss. N-Tail mutants exhibited synthetic lethality with an altered centromeric DNA sequence, with rare survivors harboring chromosomal fusions in which the altered centromere was epigenetically inactivated. Elevated centromere inactivation was also observed for N-tail mutants with unaltered centromeric DNA sequences. N-tail mutants specifically reduced localization of the CCAN proteins Cnp20/CENP-T and Mis6/CENP-I, but not Cnp3/CENP-C. Overexpression of Cnp20/CENP-T suppressed defects in an N-tail mutant, suggesting a causal link between reduced CENP-T recruitment and the observed centromere inactivation phenotype. Thus, the Cnp1 N-tail promotes epigenetic stability of centromeres via recruitment of the CENP-T branch of the CCAN.
Project description:This SuperSeries is composed of the following subset Series: GSE32310: Transcriptome analysis of mediator Med20 mutant and dcr1 mutant in S.pombe GSE35524: Mediator promotes CENP-A incorporation at fission yeast centromeres [ChIP-seq] Refer to individual Series
Project description:A defining feature of centromeres is the presence of the histone H3 variant CENP-ACnp1. It is not known how CENP-ACnp1 is specifically delivered to, and assembled into centromeric chromatin. Through a screen for factors involved in kinetochore integrity in fission yeast we identified Sim3. Sim3 is homologous to known histone binding proteins NASPHuman and N1/N2Xenopus and aligns with Hif1S.cerevisiae to define the SHNi-TPR family. Sim3 associates with CENP-ACnp1 but is distributed throughout the nucleoplasm rather than being concentrated at centromeres. Cells defective in Sim3 function have reduced levels of CENP-ACnp1 at centromeres and display chromosome segregation defects. Newly synthesized CENPACnp1 can be deposited at centromeres by a replication-independent mechanism during G2. Sim3 is required to allow this new CENP-ACnp1 to accumulate at centromeres in S and G2-phase arrested cells. We propose that Sim3 acts as an escort which hands off CENP-ACnp1 to chromatin assembly factors, allowing its incorporation into centromeric chromatin. Keywords: Expression of sim3-143 versus wt and sim3-205 versus wt
Project description:At Schizosaccharomyces pombe centromeres, heterochromatin formation is required for de novo incorporation of the histone H3 variant CENP-A/Cnp1, which in turn directs kinetochore assembly and ultimately chromosome segregation during mitosis. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) transcribed by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) directs heterochromatin formation via the RNAi machinery, but also through RNAiindependent RNA processing factors. Control of centromeric ncRNA transcription is therefore a key factor for proper centromere function. We here use transcriptional profiling, gene inactivation experiments, and chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses to demonstrate that the Mediator complex directs ncRNA transcription and regulates centromeric heterochromatin formation in fission yeast. Mediator co-localizes with Pol II at centromeres and loss of the Mediator subunit Med20 causes a dramatic increase in pericentromeric transcription and desilencing of the core centromere. As a consequence, heterochromatin formation is impaired both via the RNAi dependent and independent pathways, resulting in loss of CENP-A/Cnp1 from the core centromere, defect kinetochore function, and a severe chromosome segregation defect. Interestingly, the increased centromeric transcription observed in med20Δ appears to directly block CENP-A/Cnp1 incorporation and inhibition of Pol II transcription can suppress the observed phenotypes. Our data thus identify Mediator as a crucial regulator of ncRNA transcription at fission yeast centromeres and add another crucial layer of regulation to centromere function. 3 samples examined: wild type chromatin incubated with beads as the non antibody control, wild type chromatin incubated with RNA Polymerase II CTD domain antibody and Protein G beads, and TAP-Med7 cells chromatin incubated with IgG beads.
Project description:The CENP-T/-W histone fold complex, as an integral part of the inner kinetochore, is essential for building a proper kinetochore at the centromere in order to direct chromosome segregation during mitosis. Notably, CENP-T/-W is not inherited at centromeres and new deposition is absolutely required at each cell cycle for kinetochore function. However, the mechanisms underlying this new deposition of CENP-T/-W at centromeres are unclear. Here, we find that CENP-T deposition at centromeres is uncoupled from DNA synthesis. We identify Spt16 and SSRP1, subunits of the H2A-H2B histone chaperone FACT, as CENP-W binding partners through a proteomic screen. We find that the C-terminal region of Spt16 binds specifically to the histone fold region of CENP-T/-W. Furthermore, depletion of Spt16 impairs CENP-T and CENP-W deposition at endogenous centromeres and site directed targeting of Spt16 alone is sufficient to ensure local de novo CENP-T accumulation. We propose a model in which the FACT chaperone stabilizes the soluble CENP-T/-W complex in the cell and promotes dynamics of exchange, enabling CENP-T/-W deposition at centromeres.
Project description:At Schizosaccharomyces pombe centromeres, heterochromatin formation is required for de novo incorporation of the histone H3 variant CENP-A/Cnp1, which in turn directs kinetochore assembly and ultimately chromosome segregation during mitosis. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) transcribed by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) directs heterochromatin formation via the RNAi machinery, but also through RNAiindependent RNA processing factors. Control of centromeric ncRNA transcription is therefore a key factor for proper centromere function. We here use transcriptional profiling, gene inactivation experiments, and chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses to demonstrate that the Mediator complex directs ncRNA transcription and regulates centromeric heterochromatin formation in fission yeast. Mediator co-localizes with Pol II at centromeres and loss of the Mediator subunit Med20 causes a dramatic increase in pericentromeric transcription and desilencing of the core centromere. As a consequence, heterochromatin formation is impaired both via the RNAi dependent and independent pathways, resulting in loss of CENP-A/Cnp1 from the core centromere, defect kinetochore function, and a severe chromosome segregation defect. Interestingly, the increased centromeric transcription observed in med20Δ appears to directly block CENP-A/Cnp1 incorporation and inhibition of Pol II transcription can suppress the observed phenotypes. Our data thus identify Mediator as a crucial regulator of ncRNA transcription at fission yeast centromeres and add another crucial layer of regulation to centromere function.
Project description:Centromeres are specialized chromatin regions marked by the presence of nucleosomes containing the centromere-specific histone H3 variant CENP-A, which is essential for chromosome segregation. Assembly and disassembly of nucleosomes is intimately linked to DNA topology and DNA topoisomerases have previously been implicated in the dynamics of canonical H3 nucleosomes. Here we show that Schizosaccharomyces pombe Top3 and its partner Rqh1 are involved in controlling the levels of CENP-ACnp1 at centromeres. Both top3 and rqh1 mutants display defects in chromosome segregation. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation and tiling microarrays we show that Top3 unlike Top1 and Top2 is highly enriched at centromeric central domains, demonstrating that Top3 is the major topoisomerase in this region. Moreover, centromeric Top3 occupancy positively correlates with CENP-ACnp1 occupancy. Intriguingly, both top3 and rqh1 mutants display increased relative enrichment of CENP-ACnp1 at centromeric central domains. Thus, Top3 and Rqh1 normally limit the levels of CENP-ACnp1 in this region. This new role is independent of the established function of Top3 and Rqh1 in homologous recombination downstream of Rad51. Therefore, we hypothesize that the Top3-Rqh1 complex has an important role in controlling centromere DNA topology which in turn affects the dynamics of CENP-ACnp1 nucleosomes. For transcription: Total RNA from top3-105 mutant and WT control cells after 8 hours at 36C in biological duplicates. For Top3-myc chromatin immunoprecipitation: DNA immunoprecipitated with mouse anti-Myc using chromatin extracts from cells expressing Top3-Myc from the endogenous locus at 30C in biological duplicates normalized to input DNA from wild type cells at 30C in biological duplicates. For CENP-A/Cnp1 chromatin immunoprecipitation: DNA immunoprecipitated with anti-Cnp1 serum using chromatin extracts from top3-105 mutant and wild type control cells after 8 hours at 36C in in biological duplicates normalized to input DNA from each strain.